Biesenblog

Insights on Communication, Storytelling and Presentation Skills

11 Deadly Presentation Sins: “Quick, Fun and Practical”

I was very excited to wake up this morning to another positive review for 11 Deadly Presentation Sins, this time from Nick Morgan, who’s a renowned expert on public speaking and communication.

He’s counseled CEOs and presidents, has authored several books, and writes a great blog that I enjoy following, so it’s a real honor to get his praise.

So far, responses to the book have been overwhelmingly positive, among reviewers and on Amazon (where it has earned eighteen 5-star reviews and one 4-star review).

Several themes have emerged from these reviews.

A Quick Read

When I finished the first draft and saw that it was 20,000 words, I wondered whether I should expand the book. Add more sins? Do more analysis of each one? Something else?

But I realized that I had said everything I wanted to say (for now, at least) on the subject. Which is great guidance for any speaker, by the way. Your speech should be as long as it needs to be to say what you need to say—no longer, no shorter.

Busy readers clearly appreciated it, calling it a “quick” and “easy read” over and over. One said he “tore through it in one sitting.”

Fun

When one finds references to Star Trek, Seinfeld, and Malcolm Gladwell all in one book, you know you have a winner!
— Laura Petrolino, Amazon

I sought first to write the kind of business book I would want to read. One that’s actually “fun,” “friendly,” “breezy,” “entertaining,” and “doesn’t read like a textbook.”

Or, in the words of another reader: “His writing style makes reading about business feel more like pleasure.”

There’s data and evidence, yes, but it’s mostly filled with stories, examples and the testimony of experts.

And since many of the lessons are taken from the world of entertainment, it’s only natural it should be replete with fun pop culture references. Every speech should be treated like a performance.

Practical

Many people called the book “practical,” also saying it was “accessible” and “stuffed to the brim with actionable advice” and “where-rubber-meets-the-road info” that’s “easy to apply.”

There are plenty of experts that go deep into theory and science, particularly as it applies to audience psychology, body language and storytelling. Again, my goal was to write more of a field guide than a textbook.

So the book is indeed packed with more 100 practical tips that anyone can apply right away to be a more effective speaker. As one reader said, “you’ll be energized while being educated.”

Humble

Really? This one surprised me, but I was gratified to hear people say they enjoyed my “humility.” One said, “He doesn’t lean into it in the self-aggrandizing way many how-to authors seem to these days.”

That’s good to know. I certainly don’t pretend I have all the answers, which is why I link to numerous experts.